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11/15/2016 03:30 PMPhil Rosenthal has been playing music his whole life. A bluegrass legend and longtime Guilford resident, Rosenthal has played with the renowned band Seldom Scene. He also has been nominated for a Grammy, and artists Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe have recorded his original compositions. Now, after nearly 50 years of playing and teaching music, Rosenthal invites residents to sing along with him.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, Rosenthal and his local group, the Guilford Ramblers, will host a concert and a sing-along at the Nathanael Greene Community Center. The concert will include classic and original bluegrass and folk songs and audience members will be invited to sing with the band.
“I thought it would be nice to do something at the community center where we could really involve the community because this style of music, a lot of people really like it, and even if you don’t know it that well, you can sort of learn the song quickly,” said Rosenthal. “And there is nothing like singing along with other people.”
Comprised of musicians of all levels, the Ramblers came together after Rosenthal had been teaching music—guitar, banjo, and mandolin—for several years and a student suggested forming a group.
“A lot of amateur musicians don’t get a lot of opportunities to play with other people,” said Rosenthal. “I got the word out and I got a great response.”
Rosenthal leads two groups of 9 or 10 musicians in Guilford that will play together at the sing-along concert. The groups meet once a week and Rosenthal tries to organize opportunities for the groups to perform. Rosenthal said he hopes a concert like the sing-along can become a regular event in Guilford.
“If it is successful I would like to make it an ongoing thing,” he said. “Maybe we do something in the fall and then in the spring and just keep it going.”
Lyrics to the songs will be printed and taught at the concert so everyone can participate. Banjoist Dave Kiphuth, Rosenthal’s band mate in the 1970s group Apple Country, will also perform with the Ramblers. Rosenthal said it will be a great event for all ages and while he said the group will perform some classic bluegrass and folk songs, the group will also play a few songs from Rosenthal’s new album.
The album Down the Road is the first album by The Sommers Rosenthal Family Band and is produced by the family record label American Melody. While the family has been playing together for more than 20 years, Rosenthal said they finally decided to put together a complete album, which was released late this September.
“A couple of years ago my son Daniel had the idea that it was time to do a record just focusing on the family,” he said. “We worked on it for a few years...We celebrated the official release of the album when we played at the Congregational Church in the very beginning of October.”
The album has been well received and was listed at number 14 in the FOLKDJ listing of top 100 albums nationally. Rosenthal said he enjoyed working on a family album and is excited to play some of the songs at the sing-along concert.
“I am really excited about it,” he said. “I have been on a lot of records throughout my career, solo recordings and things I did on my label and my career in the Seldom Scene I was on a couple of albums that were nominated for Grammys, but I am really excited about this new album. I really feel it is the best thing I have ever done.”
The Guilford Ramblers Concert and Sing-along will he held Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. at the Nathanael Greene Community Center, 32 Church Street. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the concert or the Guilford Ramblers, contact Phil Rosenthal at 203-457-0881 or philrosenthal102@gmail.com.